Las Vegas, NV -- The attention in horse betting is starting to point to the 2012 Kentucky Derby with contenders racing on a weekly basis. There are a lot of contenders this early in the year, but here is a look at the top 10 horses that we could be seeing in the winner's circle in May.
Here are the top ten contenders that could win the Kentucky Derby
1. Union Rags – He has won three of four with the only loss coming to Hansen in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and he would have won that race had he not drifted out in the stretch. The concern is that he is running just twice before the Derby in the Fountain of Youth Stakes next month and the Florida Derby about a month later.
2. Hansen – He has yet to lose in three starts and has a victory over Union Rags. Even though Hansen currently leads the graded earnings list for the Kentucky Derby, there are some doubts as to whether he can win the race as his pedigree is not that great and he is a horse that always wants the lead. Rarely do horses win the Kentucky Derby going wire-to-wire.
3. Creative Cause – This horse was third in the Juvenile but was right there, losing by only a length. The question is whether he will be able to handle the distance but we should know the answer soon as his next start is at seven furlongs in the San Vicente Stakes.
4. Sky Kingdom – The pedigree for Sky Kingdom is an excellent one for the Kentucky Derby. Unlike many other contenders, this horse was bred to go a mile and a quarter or longer.
5. Gemologist – This horse could be the one that is the best of the Kentucky Derby contenders for trainer Todd Pletcher. The horse has a solid pedigree and should like the distance.
6. Discreet Dancer – Todd Pletcher's horse is unbeaten in two starts and has looked extremely good winning by over nine lengths in his debut and by more than five lengths in his second race. The pedigree for Discreet Dancer is a concern but you can say that with a number of contenders.
7. Algorithms – This is another from the Pletcher barn who has looked really strong. He is the son of Bernardini and is unbeaten in two starts including a nice win over Consortium. We will see how good he is when he goes against Hansen in the Holy Bull Stakes.
8. Out of Bounds – He is coming off a win in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita as he beat Secret Circle. It is hard to like a California horse to win the Kentucky Derby but horse betting trends continue to change all the time. Out of Bounds will go next in the San Felipe Stakes in March.
9. Alpha – He won the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct earlier this month. He is another son of Bernardini and is loaded with talent. He has had a lot of trouble in the gate though but if trainer Kiaran McLaughlin can get the horse to settle down, he could be an interesting longshot in Kentucky Derby betting.
10. Liaison – We have to throw in a Bob Baffert horse in our top 10 as Liaison won the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in late December.
© 2012 OffTrackBetting.com
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Our resident handicappers are going head-to-head this week on the Preakness and we're posting both viewpoints below. Take a look and then log in to the Racebook to check our horse racing odds and place your Preakness Stakes wagers.
Welcome to the OTB Free Belmont Park Picks page where you can find free horse racing handicapping picks for Belmont Park race track in Queens, New York! Get Full Card Belmont Selections and Horse Betting Analysis for all Saturday horse races this season at Belmont Park.
The Grade 2 Hendrie Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, May 19th from Woodbine Racetrack. Fillies and mares four years old and upward are featured in this 6 1/2 furlong race as the entries vie for their share of the $150,000 purse on Woodbine’s Polytrack surface.
The Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park this Saturday, May 19th. Fillies three years old and upward will be racing 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.
The Grade 3 Railbird Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Betfair Hollywood Park. Fillies three years old will go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
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OffTrackBetting.com is offering a free contest for a chance to win up to $100 by picking the top 3 finishers (in order) for the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Show off your Preakness Stakes Handicapping skills and pick up a free $100.
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes comes our way this Friday, May 18th from Pimlico, scene of the Preakness Stakes that will be run Saturday. Three year old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s main track in search of their share of the $300,000 purse.
The one-time Grade 1 Pimlico Special Stakes returns this Friday May 18th to Pimlico after a brief three year hiatus. Now a Grade 3 event, horses three years old and upward will go 1 3/16 miles in search of their share of the 300,000 purse.
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Bet on the 2012 Preakness Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com - The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is the the second leg of the US Triple Crown, and each year, on the 3rd Sunday in May, thousands of horse racing fans gather at legendary Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to experience one of sport's most amazing events.
One of the best months of the season in horse racing is the month of May as the race for the Triple Crown begins. At OffTrackBetting.com you can place bets on the Preakness Stakes, which is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, along with the Belmont Stakes.
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